I Hate Lifting Weights: Can Venus Freeze Tone My Arm 'Waddles'?

Yes, I could have hit the gym and done some arm curls to tighten and tone my arm "waddles", but hey, I’m busy. Instead, I set out on a fact-finding mission and explored the hype, hope and how behind Venus Freeze - a treatment that uses heat (but not gym sweat) to body sculpt.

The Hope:

I had “the freeze” on my upper arms to decrease overall arm circumference, and to look more toned in sleeveless tops and sundresses. Venus can also help tighten wrinkly arm skin, but I haven’t hit that stage in life yet, so we were just focused on getting rid of the “waddles”.

The How:

The heat stimulates new collagen formation which tightens the skin. And secondly, the hormone lipase is activated which promotes the shrinkage of fat. As my consulting doctor put it, it basically gives you a very subtle burn – which you can’t see or feel (it really is totally painless), but it signals your body to tighten and firm. The sessions were easy, breezy and I did 8 in total. I was in and out the door within 40 minutes.

The treatment itself goes something like this:

1. Enter treatment room. Listen to spa-like music.
2. Take off shirt and real bra, put on disposable paper bra.
3. Lay on treatment table face up.
4. Have each upper arm rubbed with the magical Venus Freeze for 15 minutes, while you stare at the ceiling and make small talk with the technician.
5. Wipe down arms with baby wipes. Dress. Exit.

As for the rubbing part, it’s not exactly relaxing – but it doesn’t hurt. It feels a bit like an aggressive hot stone massage. The goal is to get the skin between 101 and 106 degrees Fahrenheit – the wand itself isn’t quite that hot, but the skin will reach that surface temperature.

So, you need to communicate with the technician when the temp nears your threshold. The technician probably turned Venus down 4-6 times for each arm. Immediately after, my arms were a bit red and splotchy. So, I wore something with sleeves, as I returned to work after leaving the doctor’s office.

The Hmm:

The national average cost is quoted at $500 per session, which can quickly add up after several sessions, so potential candidates will need to carefully weigh the cost/benefit. Also, Venus Freeze results are not considered permanent, given a patient’s weight fluctuation and the natural aging process of skin. The folks behind the Freeze recommend maintenance sessions for this reason. My physician suggested a six-month spot maintenance session for me, and I’m still very happy with the results.

The Bottom Line:

The tech did relay that if you up your game at the gym alongside your Venus Freeze treatments, you will see better results more quickly. I did not test this theory. But, at final tally, I had lost nearly an entire inch of circumference off each arm and quickly dug my sleeveless summer wardrobe out of hibernation. These are great results in my book, given all I had to do was lie on a table!